Opposite Sides of the Table

Posted on Thu 13th Apr, 2017 @ 7:01pm by Colonel Horatio Drake & Commander Zachary Hunt & Lieutenant Commander Solan Jekkar & Lieutenant Commander Andrew Eberstark & Lieutenant Sianna Dal

1,510 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night
Location: Deck 14, Senior Officers Conference Room
Timeline: MD 2, 1735

"Who the Hell do these people think they are!" Drake slammed his fist onto the Conference Room table nearly knocking over his customary mug of coffee. "To have this happen in a Starfleet facility is an outrage!"

To have this happen under my first real command is an outrage he corrected himself, in thought.

Hunt decided it was best to keep quiet. He had found out that it was best just to keep silent and let Drake have his rant until he had cooled down a little bit. That way he could input his opinion without the abuse back.

Miss Post and Harry hadn't been allowed into the turbolift with the delegation going to see the base commander, but she refused to be left out of the news loop. She'd overheard Commander Jekkar tell the others to meet Colonel Drake in the Senior Officers Conference Room.

The news team hurried to the next lift, not far away, and headed up to Deck 14 as fast as the lift would take them. Caroline breathed a sigh of relief when it didn't stop at any other floors, thinking it was a miracle for which she would have to thank Elvis later. They stepped out only moments after those in the other lift, and were fortunate that the conference room was in a direction that provided H.H. with the perfect opportunity for head-on holos. Security wasn't quite as pleased about that as she was, of course.

"No, absolutely not." Jekkar said as he raised his hand to stop the news team.

"Come now, Commander Jekkar," the Vulcan woman said, sounding amused. "We are news. You can't expect not to be included."

"This is a matter of public interest - the media should, indeed, be present." a polite, accommodating smile graced Sianna Dal's face as she spoke, "I doubt subjects which would require this to be a closed-door discussion will be brought up."

The reporter was surprised by support from the diplomat. What was she hoping to accomplish? She tried to decide whether having her face in a holo-news vid was likely to be good for Dal's career or bad.

"I think you'll find Lieutenant." Jekkar said with a little extra emphasis on her rank. "The CO has the final say on this matter, and considering the fact he has just had a riot on his Station I don't think he wants to trifle with the press." The Andorian commented to her. "Now until directed otherwise I suggest you stand to one side or I'll have Security return you to the Quarters you were assigned."

"Of course," Miss Post said, with a demure smile, moving to the side, where Handsome Harry joined her. She waited for the entourage to move several meters down the corridor before turning to him. "Please tell me you got that officious Andorian in living color."

With a totally appropriate smirk, "They don't call me Never Fail Harry for nothing."

Caroline gave him a genuine smile. "They don't call you that. They call you Handsome, but there's a bonus in it for you if you captured everything. Let's head back and get this out right away." She glanced down the carpeted corridor, thinking absently that only in the lofty realms where important guests might be was there such a lovely patterning on the floor. The entire group had disappeared around a turn, so she led the way to the turbolift. The Chief Security Officer would find out that it paid to stay on the good side of reporters.

Jekkar entered the Conference Room with a PADD under his arm. The Andorian Commander had seen himself face a baptism by fire since he arrived at Vanguard. He had a full report of the incident for the Senior Staff, and it wasn't going to please a lot of people

Following the Commander, Andrew turned back to see if the reporter was still in earshot and then back to Commander Jekkar ready to speak his mind on what just transpired but hesitated and thought better of it. He tried to ease his mind by telling himself the reporter wouldn't make a big deal of the situation. As he took his seat in the Conference Room however, Andrew knew deep down that was probably not going to be the case.

Instead, he focused his mind on the task at hand and looked towards Colonel Drake. Seeing the evident irritation, but not fully knowing his new commanding officer, Andrew couldn't help but grin and shake his head thinking to himself, This should be a fun briefing.

The Vulcan woman bowed her head briefly toward the base commander and his executive officer. She motioned to the Bajoran and Cardassian to sit one on each side of her, then she took a seat at the end of the table opposite the command team and waited patiently for introductions to be made. Sensing the distress of the Colonel, particularly, she discreetly upped the flow of goodwill and calm in his direction.

Drake took a deep breath... temper had never been something he had needed to contend with, until recent years. Now it was forever simmering under the surface, like a broth threatening to spill over the rim of a saucepan. It didn't take much to ignite the flame. He had tried his best to steer clear of anything political related - but his efforts, this time, were to be in vain. To his understanding, the Federation had made the decision not to try Breloc Tejar on Bajor due to security reasons - to him, this seemed more than reasonable. He understood why the Bajorans felt it their right to hold the trial themselves, but valid concerns had been raised... he would receive the same trial, elsewhere. Unfortunately, not everyone saw it as that black and white.

"Would someone please explain to me how a peaceful protest turned violent, whilst under the supervision of Starfleet security?" His tone was intentionally calm and measured. At this point in time, he didn't know where to direct his anger. Security? Diplomatic Department? Hunt?.

Jekkar looked at him. The Andorian remained perfectly blank with no hint of expression or emotion. "Faulty Intelligence and lack of resources......" He was blunt and to the point. "Those of us that were there did the best we could with what we had and I think they should be commended for those actions."

Drake could feel the anger rise up in his chest. "Commander Jekkar," his voice was raised, "as Chief Security Officer on this station I expect order to be kept at all times. I do not want to hear excuses as to why this wasn't the case. What is more, I expect discipline and respect from my officers... in Starfleet we address superiors as sir, I shouldn't have to remind a cadet of this, let alone a Lieutenant Commander."

He paused to draw breath and lowered his voice. "I hope I've made myself abundantly clear."

"Protests are notoriously unpredictable and volatile." Sianna's voice carried a chiding tone, "Though we had presumed that Federation citizens were above petty violence. These events do not paint the Federation in a fair light - this kind of rowdy behaviour might fit Qo'nos more."

"If it was Qo'nos, Lieutenant, then we would have had several deaths and multiple arrests as per local customs." Jekkar said in response. He quickly switched his notes. "I've tightened Security on all the Habitat Zones and Public parts of the Station." The Andorian said as he skimmed his notes. "I'm also requesting permission to use personnel in plain clothes."

Before Drake could authorize this request, someone spoke up.

"Gentle Beings," the Vulcan woman interrupted. "These internal Vanguard issues can be discussed later. We are here to solve a problem, preferably without force of any kind. Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me T'Leia. We," she indicated her two companions with a slight wave of her hand, "represent ... a certain group related to those whom you might know as the V'tosh ka'tur, though we simply call ourselves the Rik' Rala."

"For those who don't speak Vulcan, that means without wings. The full name would be Eifa ik hash-tor rik' rala, or Those who fly without wings," the Bajoran added. "We follow peaceful paths to resolution of difficulties."

"And, friends, a difficulty is what you have here. What we have is a solution." The Cardassian glanced at the security officers and said softly, "With our help, you won't need the "tightened security" or disguised officers."

Jekkar looked at them. "With respect to your beliefs and your way of life....." The Commander said to the three of them. "That is a decision that falls to myself as Security Chief and also to the Commanding Officer of this Station." He was not an unreasonable man nor was he a bad man, he was merely a professional.

"That would be why we are here to negotiate, would it not?" asked the Vulcan, arching her eyebrow.

 

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